Iran Rail Achievements since 2021

Since the beginning of Government of Ebrahim Raisi in August 2021 which is 13th Government in Iran since 1979, development of transport with the aim of growth in transit became a main priority. To this end, Iran prompted transport diplomacy with the neighboring countries and accelerated development of transport infrastructures in order to complete transit corridors. Current motto of Iran Ministry of Roads and Urban Development as 'driver for progress' heralds improving Iran position in transport and regional transit. 

In December 2022, Iran Deputy Minister and CEO of the Construction and Development of Transportation Infrastructures Company, Kheirollah Khademi, informed of upcoming inauguration of rail in 2023. He heralded inauguration of 561 km new railways in 2023 with more than 70 percent physical progress. Currently in the rail sector, there are 3,300 km new railway under construction which will be added to the existing 14,000 km under operation. 

By May 21, based on the statistics published by the deputy of planning and resource management of the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, 458 km railway have been inaugurated under current government in office, while 180 km is at the moment under rehabilitation. The most important transport achievements in the rail sector are listed below in order to provide a comprehensive view of rail transport developments. 

Zahedan-Khash Railroad 

The inauguration of the seventh and eighth parts of Chabahar-Zahedan Railroad in November 2022 as the largest railway project in Iran had been an important achievement.

This rail route that stretches from Zahedan to Khash is part of the largest infrastructural project in the east of Iran namely Chabahar-Zahedan-Sarakhs Railroad.

Zahedan- Khash Railroad project is 155 km with 1 tunnel, 12 large bridges, 21 level crossings, and 7 stations. 

Chabahar-Zahedan Railroad in Iran (about 630 km) is very strategic along the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) as it provides rail connectivity to the ocean port of Chabahar.

The construction of Chabahar-Zahedan Railroad project started in 2013 in eight parts and with a physical progress of 62%, it is currently under completion. 

Bostanabad-Khavaran Railway 

Part of 'Mianeh-Bostanabad-Tabriz' Railroad stretching from Bostanabad to Khavaran (near Tabriz) was inaugurated in June 2023.

Bostanabad to Khavaran Railway is 44 km which has been constructed with 30,000 billion IRR credit. 

Mianeh to Bostanabad Railway had been previously inaugurated in November 2019 in 6 parts with the lengths of 132 km. 

Mianeh-Bostanabad-Tabriz Railway project is about 203 km and has 10 stations that decreases travel time from Tehran to Tabriz by 4 to 5 hours and 114 km distance compared to the road route. 

The project is also part of the southern corridor of Trans-Asian Railway (TAR) as a project to create an integrated freight railway network across Europe and Asia. So, it is expected to increase share of Iran in international transport. 

This railway is the first railway which is built double-track from the beginning and also it can be electrified. The project is constructed by reliance on domestic technologies and has 6 km valley bridges (including Basmenj Bridges) and 7 km tunnels. 

Rakhsh-Chah Khavar-TabarKooh Railway

The opening of the second railway track of 'Rakhsh-Chah Khavar-TabarKooh' with a length of 130 km (a part of the second rail track of the Bafaq-Yazd-Zarin Shahr and Ardakan Arjang railways with a length of 60 km) and the second rail track of the Ahvaz-Andimeshk railway with a length of 70 km were among the other railway lines that were operated in January 2023 during this period. 

Rasht-Astara Railway

Following previous talks between Iran and Russia for construction of the strategic Rasht-Astara Railway, Iran and Russia officially signed the agreement for financing this railway project along the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) in May 2023 through a video-conference ceremony with presence of the Presidents of Iran and Russia. 

Due to the importance of the INSTC for international transit in the region, Russia has been determined to finance this railway project with approximate €1.6 billion investments. 

This project is expected to be constructed within 48 months. 

Iran has a good rail network from the Bandar Abbas in the south to Rasht in the north; however, the 162-km Rasht-Astara railroad has been the missing rail link along the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) which its completion is vital for the regional rail transit.

The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is an important multi-modal transport route for freight transit between India, Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe.

Shalamcheh-Basra Railway

​​​ Following the 2021 bilateral agreement for construction of Shalamcheh- Basra Railway , the details of implementing the project were discussed between Iran and Iraq transport ministers in April 2023 in order to kick off implementation of Shalamcheh-Basra Railway.

The two sides agreed on undertaking mine clearance by Iran, construction of a 32 km railway including stations and buildings by Iraq, and construction of about one-kilometer vertical-lift bridge over the Shatt al-Arab by Iranian companies.

The duration of the project is expected to be 18 months.

Shalamcheh-Basra Railway marks a historical link as negotiations for a 32 km railway between Iran and Iraq had been ongoing for about the last 20 years.

Rasht-Caspian Railway

Rasht- Caspian Railway Project in Gilan Province will be inaugurated soon. Upon completion of this rail project which is part of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), the Persian Gulf will be connected to the Caspian Sea by rail. 

This 37-kilometer railway line passes through paddy fields and muddy tracks, which made construction operations difficult.

Hamedan-Sanandaj Railway

The upcoming inauguration of Hamedan- Sanandaj Railway in the next few months will link Sanandaj to Iran's rail network.

Studies for Tehran-Hamadan-Sanandaj Railway project were completed in 2004 and the implementation of this project began in 2005. Iran's 13th government placed a high priority on completion and operation of this project. 

Hamadan-Sanandaj Railway project is 151 kilometers long, with 7 stations including 3 traffic stations and 4 passenger stations in Qorve, Dehgolan and Sanandaj.

1,686 rail fleets manufactured and rehabilitated 

Since August 2021, total number of 1,686 fleets are manufactured and rehabilitated including freight and passenger cars and locomotives. 

In December 2022, Iran added 428 rolling stocks all manufactured domestically in Iran (involving 20 companies) which estimates to 1500 billion tomans.  

Currently, there are 30,000 freight cars in Iran which are fewer than what is needed in the country, although there had been 20 percent increase in passenger cars compared to the last year.

Iran transport policy-makers and actors all regard transit as a sustainable source of income for the country considering the particular geopolitical location along international corridors.

Aprin as the largest Dry Port near Tehran 

The first phase of Tehran's rail dry port, known as Aprin, as the largest inland import/export hub for transshipment in the center of Iran with an area of about 55 hectares was inaugurated in March. 

This dry port which is about 20 km away from Tehran and adjacent to Eslamshahr is located at the center of East-West and North-South international railway corridors.

In line with its mission for developing rail transport and creating logistics centers, the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways (RAI), accelerated the construction of Tehran's dry port particularly since last year.

In the first phase, Iran's largest inland container hub was constructed with 1000 billion toman investment by the private sector. 

It has provided all the necessary infrastructures, including the customs building, the railway administration building, and the unloading and loading area. 

Reducing the clearance time for imported goods, fuel consumption, time of storing goods in customs, and carrying out formalities for export goods in the vicinity of the capital, as well as creating jobs and boosting production are among the benefits of this strategic plan.